Literacy
Story Dogs is a reading support program where selected children read to an accredited dog and its handler. Reading takes place in a quiet area of the school such as the library or verandah outside the classroom. Sessions run for 20 minutes, where each child is one-on-one with the Dog Team.
The books used in the program are suitable for each child’s reading level, are engaging and inspire children to read for enjoyment and knowledge.
When children read to a dog the outcomes are amazing:
They have FUN
They are not judged
Their focus improves
Their reading skills increase
Their confidence soars
The dog’s temperament, obedience and willingness is of utmost importance. The safety of the children is paramount. Dog Teams must pass an accreditation by a certified dog trainer as well as being immaculately groomed, vaccinated and vet checked.
At St James we will be commencing our Story Dogs program in week 6. Our dogs will be visiting twice a week in the junior school.
Parents will receive a permission slip in their childs school bag.
At St James we have a passion and love for teaching Literacy. Our Prep to Year Six programs vary developmentally in their approaches, we share common guiding principles of effective Literacy practices.
Encourage a Love of Reading:
We strive to develop a lifelong love of reading. We immerse our students in a wide range of literature, in multi modal formats, and expose them to a range of genres and perspectives. We provide time for our students to enjoy and read for pleasure.
A Passion for Writing:
Our students at St James are enthusiastic writers, we develop and scaffold the skills necessary, and provide opportunities for creativity and extension in our classrooms. We understand that our students develop these skills at different paces, and differentiate instruction to cater for this.
Develop Strong Communicators:
Through our Speaking and Listening programs, we provide opportunities for students to interact with each other, and present their thoughts and learning. Our programs encourage students to be confident and articulate speakers and attentive listeners.
A Contemporary Approach to the English Curriculum:
Through the use of ICT, flexible learning options, and personalised learning goals, we aim to cater for students at their point of need. We understand children learn differently to each other, and we keep this in mind when planning classroom experiences.
Use of Data to Drive Learning:
Teachers regularly analyse their student data to ascertain future teaching directed at each students learning needs, identify the need for enrichment or intervention, and to set learning goals with their students.
As it is the start of another academic school year you may notice that your child has been removed from class to have a 1-1 reading session with their class teacher. This session is an invaluable time for your child’s class teacher to collect formative data to inform their teaching and next steps. It is also a great time for the teacher to get to know your child as a reader.
Literacy in the Junior school
Throughout the junior school we have a strong focus on developing our phonological awareness to aid our reading, writing and spelling.
Across the 3 classes this can look very different at different stages in our learning journey. We use a variety of explicit teaching strategies to develop this knowledge.
Antoinette Ferrari and Mandi Joplin
Literacy Leaders